“You seriously want to bring this up again?” Kael snapped, the frustration in his voice raw and dangerous, the way an Alpha snarls when another wolf challenges him. “Fine. If it bothers you so much, I’ll tell Selara to take down the post. Satisfied now?”
I let out a quiet, bitter laugh that barely rose above a whisper. He still didn’t understand.
“It’s not about the post, Kael,” I said, my voice steady on the surface, though beneath it, my chest burned with anger and betrayal. “It’s about why you lied. It’s not about meeting Selara, not about kissing her… or even sleeping with her.”
“Oh, now I get it,” Kael interrupted, smirking like he’d just solved some riddle. “You’re jealous. That’s all this is about, right?”
He folded his arms, his posture casual, but his tone was sharp, almost mocking. “Now it makes sense why you’ve been avoiding me this past week. Jealousy of Selara. Typical.”
I had always avoided conflict, always told myself to be patient, understanding—the good mate who didn’t overreact. But ever since he broke his promise on my graduation day, a crack had formed inside me, growing steadily until it finally split wide open.
“What if I am jealous?” I shot back, my words slicing through the tension, my chest tight with fury and heartbreak. “Are you finally going to do something about it? Are you going to stay away from her?”
“No, right?” I pressed on, my voice cracking but refusing to weaken. “You never even met your so-called client in Bali, did you? You lied. Work was just an excuse for a vacation, a reason to be with Selara.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks before I could stop them. I didn’t fight them—they were a small release, a bitter acknowledgement of everything I’d held inside.
“So… I think it’s better if we end this,” I whispered, my voice barely recognizable even to me. “Besides, our packs don’t even know about us properly. And soon, you’ll be bound to your perfect mate anyway.”
Kael’s face went pale, the first real crack of panic appearing in his amber eyes. He stepped toward me, desperation in every motion.
“No! Railey, don’t say that,” he pleaded, hands gripping my shoulders firmly, voice breaking. “I can’t live without you. Don’t leave me, please.”
“I know it’s confusing now,” he continued, his hands trembling as they rested on my arms, “but Selara and I only acted for our parents’ sake. The one I care for… the one I truly want… is you. Only you.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice softer now, almost fragile. “I’m sorry for missing your graduation. I’m sorry I didn’t go with you to the embassy. I’m sorry for everything, Railey. I know I let you down, but from now on… you’ll be my first thought, my priority. I swear it.”
‘Another empty promise,’ I sneered silently, but then I caught myself. Why was I still angry? In less than three weeks, I would be gone, far from this pack, far from him. Why waste my strength on a wolf who had spent years proving he didn’t deserve me?
So I did what I always did—I forgave him. But this time, it was only a pretense.
Kael sighed with relief, wrapping his arms around me in a warm, deceptive embrace, as if everything were back to normal.
“Then tonight… will we…” he began, hope shining in his golden eyes, “be together again?”
I pulled away immediately. “No.”
Without another word, I turned and retreated to my room, shutting the door behind me. Outside, his low chuckle drifted under the wood, casual and careless.
“Alright, alright. Take your time to think, my wolf,” he called softly.
The next morning, I prepared breakfast and packed a lunch for him, playing the part he always demanded of me. Kael’s expression softened when he saw it, and he grinned, sharp fangs glinting in the morning light.
“Thanks. If this is how it’s going to be, everything will run smoothly between us,” he said, his tone smug but satisfied.
I returned his smile, perfectly practiced, hollow.
I kept up the act for five days, all the while quietly packing my belongings, my heart already halfway across the ocean.
I even attended my friend’s wedding alone. Once I reached the bridal room, I shared my plan with her. She cried and clutched me tightly.
“Don’t cry today—your happiness matters,” I whispered, struggling to hold back my own tears.
She nodded. “Promise me we’ll hang out one last time before you leave for Melbourne.”
“Of course.”
But as I watched my friend walk down the aisle, a strange, sharp pang of jealousy twisted through me. Kael could have been the one by my side if he had honored his promises, if he had shown up for my graduation. But he didn’t.
I shook my head and forced myself back into the celebration, forcing down my feelings.
Later that evening, as I was about to leave the party, my phone rang. It was Selara.
“Railey,” her voice silky and sharp, “Kael’s completely drunk at our friend’s party. Could you pick him up?”
I went—not out of concern, but because this was the final time I would perform the role of the understanding, obedient mate.
As I waited outside the party’s private box, I overheard their conversation clearly.
“So, what happens to Railey if you marry Selara, Kael?” one of his friends asked.
Kael laughed, lazily, the sound carrying the casual cruelty of a wolf who believed everything was his. “Railey? She’s just here to obey me, to be by my side when I want her. Isn’t it amusing, having a little puppy waiting at home?”
